Display carry container

Abstract

A display carry container having first and second opposed side wall panels, first and second end wall panels and bottom closure panels for closing the bottom of said container, and an improved top closure comprising a first flap integrally formed with said first side wall panel and having a handle integrally formed therein, second and third flaps integrally formed with said first and second end wall panels respectively for overlapping said first flap and forming an elongated slot through which said handle protrudes, a fourth flap integrally formed with said second side wall panel and having an elongated slot therein through which said handle protrudes when said fourth flap overlaps said second and third flaps, and means removably retaining said fourth flap in its overlapped position.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a display carry container having first and second opposed side wall panels, first and second end wall panels and bottom closure panels attached to said side wall panels for closing the bottom of said container, an improved top closure comprising: (a) a first flap integrally formed with and hingedly attached to said first side wall panel, (i) said first flap having a handle integrally formed with, hingedly attached to and centered on said first flap,     (b) second and third generally U-shaped flaps integrally formed with and hingedly attached to said first and second end wall panels respectively for folding inwardly in an abutting relationship and overlapping said first flap whereby said handle protrudes through the elongated slot formed by said abutting second and third generally U-shaped flaps,   (c) a fourth flap integrally formed with and hingedly attached to said second side wall panel for folding inwardly and overlapping said first, second and third flaps, (i) said fourth flap having an elongated slot therein for receiving said handle therethrough, and     (d) fastening means for removably retaining said fourth flap in its overlapped position.   
     
     
       2. A container as in claim 1 further including: (a) a line of articulation extending from each corner of said first flap to the nearest end of said handle,   (b) a line of articulation extending from each corner of said second and third flaps to the base of the respective slot formed therein when folded,   (i) each of said articulations in said second and third flaps being generally superimposed upon and congruent with a corresponding articulation in said first flap, and   (c) a line of articulation in said fourth flap extending from each end of said slot therein to the nearest edge of said fourth flap in a direction parallel to said slot therein, (i) said articulations tending to distribute any force applied to said handle to both side and both end walls of said container whereby a tendency of the handles and flaps to tear is minimized.     
     
     
       3. A container as in claim 2 further including: (a) a rounded corner at each end of said handle where said handle attaches to said first flap whereby a tendency of said corner to tear is minimized.   
     
     
       4. A container as in claim 3 wherein said fastening means comprises: (a) a fifth flap integrally formed with said first side wall panel and extending beyond the articulation line of said first side wall panel into said first flap, said fifth flap being hingedly attached at its base to said first side wall panel to form a slot therein, and   (b) an elongated tab integrally formed with, hingedly attached to and extending outwardly from the outer edge of said fourth flap whereby in an overlapped condition of said first and fourth flaps, said tab may be inserted in the slot formed by pivoting said fifth flap outwardly about its base.   
     
     
       5. A container as in claim 4 wherein said fastening means further includes: (a) a horizontal slot in said tab along its hinge line with said fourth flap whereby the outer end of said fifth flap may be inserted in said horizontal slot in said tab to removably retain said fourth flap in an overlapping relationship with said first, second and third flaps.   
     
     
       6. A container as in claim 5 wherein: (a) the hinge line of said second and third flaps is higher from the bottom of said container than the hinge line of said first flap whereby a smooth overlap of said second and third flaps over said first flap occurs.   
     
     
       7. A container as in claim 6 wherein: (a) the hinge line of said fourth flap is higher from the bottom of said container than the hinge line of said second and third flaps whereby a smooth overlap of said fourth flap over said second and third flaps occurs.   
     
     
       8. In a display carry container having first and second opposed side wall panels, first and second end wall panels and bottom closure panels for closing the bottom of said container, an improved top closure comprising: (a) a first flap integrally formed with said first side wall panel and having a handle integrally formed therein,   (b) second and third flaps integrally formed with said first and second end wall panels respectively for overlapping said first flap and forming an elongated slot through which said handle protrudes,   (c) a fourth flap integrally formed with said second side wall panel and having an elongated slot therein through which said handle protrudes when said fourth flap overlaps said second and third flaps, and   (d) means removably retaining said fourth flap in its overlapped position.   
     
     
       9. A container as in claim 8 further including: (a) score lines in said first, second, third and fourth flaps whereby an upward force applied to said handle is generally distributed to said side wall panels and said end wall panels whereby tearing is minimized.   
     
     
       10. A display carry container as in claim 8 wherein said first flap comprises: (a) a first rectangular panel hingedly attached on one edge to the top of said first side wall panel,   (b) a second rectangular panel congruent with said first rectangular panel and   (c) first and second U-shaped handle portions hingedly connected at the top thereof whereby when said handle portions are folded in overlapping relationship, they are congruent with each other, (i) said first and second handle portions being hingedly connected at the bases thereof to said first and second rectangular panels respectively whereby said first and second rectangular panels may be adjacent each other in a horizontal plane with the handle portions 54 and 56 protruding perpendicularly therefrom or may be in an overlapped and congruent relationship with each other whereby both rectangular panels and the handle portions may be folded inwardly within said container without the handle protruding therefrom.     
     
     
       11. A container blank for forming a display carry container comprising: (a) first and second side wall panels and first and second end wall panels integrally formed and hingedly connected in alternated contiguous relationship, said end wall panels being of greater height than said first side wall panel and said second side wall panel being greater in height than said end wall panels,   (b) a glue flap hingedly connected to the outer edge of said first side wall panel,   (c) bottom closure panels hingedly attached to the base of said first and second side wall panels,   (d) a first flap integrally formed with and hingedly connected to the top of said first side wall panel and having a handle integrally formed therein and hingedly connected at its base thereto,   (e) second and third generally U-shaped flaps hingedly connected to and integrally formed with the top of said first and second end walls respectively, said second and third flaps overlapping said first flap when said container is folded and forming an elongated slot through which said handle can protrude and   (f) a fourth flap hingedly connected to and integrally formed with said second side wall panel and having an elongated slot therein through which said handle protrudes when said container is folded and said fourth flap overlaps said first, second and third flaps.   
     
     
       12. A container blank as in claim 11 further including: (a) a fifth flap integrally formed in said first side wall panel and extending into said first flap and hingedly attached at its base to said first side wall panel whereby a slot is formed in said first side wall panel and said first flap when said fifth flap is pivoted outwardly about its base, and   (b) a tab integrally formed with and hingedly attached at its base to the outer edge of said fourth flap for inserting into said slot formed by said fifth flap when said container is folded thereby retaining said fourth flap in its overlapped position.   
     
     
       13. A container blank as in claim 12 further including: (a) score lines extending from each outer corner of said first flap to the nearest end of said handle,   (b) score lines extending from each corner of said second and third flaps to the nearest end of the slot formed therein, and   (c) score lines in said fourth flap extending from each end of said slot therein to the nearest edge of said fourth flap in a direction parallel to said slot therein.   
     
     
       14. A container blank as in claim 13 wherein said first flap comprises: (a) a first rectangular panel hingedly attached along one edge to the top of said first side wall panel,   (b) a second rectangular panel congruent with said first rectangular panel, and   (c) first and second U-shaped handle portions hingedly connected at the top thereof whereby when said handle portions are folded in an overlapping relationship, they are congruent with each other, (i) said first and second handle portions being hingedly connected at the bases thereof to said first and second rectangular panels respectively.